1109.0419 (Dino Osmanovic et al.)

Bistable collective behavior of polymers tethered in a nanopore    [PDF]

Dino Osmanovic, Joe Bailey, Anthony H. Harker, Ariberto Fassati, Bart W. Hoogenboom, Ian J. Ford

Polymer-coated pores play a crucial role in nucleo-cytoplasmic transport and
in a number of biomimetic and nanotechnological applications. Here we present
Monte Carlo and Density Functional Theory approaches to identify different
collective phases of end-grafted polymers in a nanopore and to study their
relative stability as a function of intermolecular interactions. Over a range
of system parameters that is relevant for nuclear pore complexes, we observe
two distinct phases: one with the bulk of the polymers condensed at the wall of
the pore, and the other with the polymers condensed along its central axis. The
relative stability of these two phases depends on the interpolymer
interactions. The existence the two phases suggests a transport mechanism in
which marginal changes in these interactions, possibly induced by nuclear
transport receptors, cause the pore to transform between open and closed
configurations.

View original: http://arxiv.org/abs/1109.0419